Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1887-12-08
INCREASE OF RENTERS.


renting farms. He states that the
every year. Another large landowner
in the same portion of the state says
there are twice as many persons who
are DESTROYS of renting farms as there
are farms to rent. Such is the demand
for farms to work for share of the
crop or at fixed money rental that
tenants are constantly bidding against
each other in order to secure places
AS consequence, rents are advanc-
ing, while the prices of almost every
kind of farm product are declining.
Young men with families are not in
clined to Ego west and grow up with
the country" If they are willing to
go, their wives are not. The latter
prefer to live where they can enjoy
some social pleasures. Life on the
border has no attractions for them If
ambitious men live for the future,
women and children live for tne
present. Other things prevent young
farmers from taking up and improv-
ing land in the western territories.
They have not the means to make the
journey, to erect buildings and fences,
and to purchase stock and tools. They
are not SO situated that they can wait
two years for sod to rot so that they
can raise variety of farm products.
AS most ambitious field hands aspire
to become farm tenants, so it appears
that very large proportion of the
owners of unimproved farms desire to
be landlords. To be country gen
tleman, to live on a fnely-improved
place, to manage landed estate, to
enjoy life on farm, was once the
ambition of nearly every man of fail
means and prospects. Such is not
generally the case now. A large pro.
portion of successful farmers divide up
and sell their places after they have
them well improved or let them out to
tenants and move to the several
large towns. Absentee landlords are
becoming as common in this country
as they are III Ireland, though they
may live somewhat nearer the places
they own. The last census put the
number of rented farms in the country
at 1924, COL, while those cultivated or
managed by the owners numbered g.
984, LOG. Singularly enough, the pro
portion of rented farms was larger
in the western than in the eastern
states. Illinois has 1924 farms
worked by tenants, Missouri 1892, and
the new state of Iowa 44,174 The |
owners of most of these farms once
cultivated them, but they left them
after they were improved and went to
live in towns. The tenant class in |
Dakota is quite large, which shows
that many of the persons who obtained |
fo far Il
manently live on them.
The taste for country life appears to |
be declining Few men of consider
able means now wish to live in the |
country during the entire year. The
men of wealth who do so live are not /
GENERALLY engaged in farming. They are
fruit-rasers, nurserymen, breeders of |
fine stock, or cattle-feeders. They are
engaged in trading quite as much as
producing. Somefo them are specula-
tors, who are always ready to take adj |
vantage of the misfortunes of their |
neighbors. 1t is certainly to be |
regretted that so few men Of wealth, |
taste, and intelligence are now am
bilious to be country gentlemen. Such |
a class exert a refining influence, erect |
buildings, and lay out grounds that |
serve as models for others, and intro
1uce new varieties of field and garden |
products. They also cause the places |
where they live to be visited by super |
ior people. They are able to give en-
ployment to many poor persons. |
Probably the insecurity of money and |
ether valuables in farmhouses has
caused many wealthy country families
to move to large towns. A police |
force can not be maintained In the |
country, and it is very difficult to OBJ |
tain assistance from neighbors in case |
burglars visit farmhouse. The |
authorities of country composed of
farming townships are reluctant to
appropriate money for the purpose
of detecting crimes and Furnishing
criminals.
Another difficulty connected with
living in the country is that of obtain
ing help in the house or field. Female
domestics do not like to live in FARM
house, even if it is more comfortable
and commodious than any they can
find employment at in large town.
They want to be where there is ex-
element and an opportunity to attend
places of amusement. They are
as fond of society as their employers
are, and will sacrifice as much to en-
Joy it. Such to less extent, perhaps,
is the case with men. TIE town has
greater attractions for them than the
country furnishes. They like to live
where they can pass their evenings
pleasantly. 1t is not likely that re-
liable and capable farm laborers can
ever be secured in this country till the
practice of employing married people,
and allowing them to live in cottages
on the place, becomes general. A man
with family will be more likely to be
contented, and to remain for years on
a farm, than one who has no place to
live except room in a garrett, and
who has no associates beyond the
hands employed on neighboring farms.
whom he rarely sees except on rainy
days or when the thrashing machine IS
paying its annual visit.
SAVING LIQUID MANURE.